Oklahoma ! was first created in 1943 by the writing team of Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein. They were an incredibly talented writing and producing team that was feverishly relevant and popular during The Golden Age, specifically the 1940s. Oklahoma ! centers around the story of a charismatic farmhand named Curly and is quest in wooing the prettiest girl in town, Laurey. He has to defend himself and Laurey against the evil-minded man in town, Jud. He has his eyes set on Laurey and will stop at nothing until he gains her love, whether he has to harm other people in order to gain what he most desires. The reasons behind Oklahoma !'s popularity is that it featured fast paced dances and witty songs that fit seamlessly into the plot of the show. "The musical Oklahama ! in particular began a revolution in musical theatre dance with Agnes deMille's intense and imaginative choreography" (Long 40) This was an all American musical that audiences flocked to with unending praise and it changed the look of Broadway with its popularity. (Nolan)
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